VI

EXORCISM

THE urton riders turned out their hotses to graze,
then took a leather bag containing the mail to
the orderly tent. Shortly afterwards they joined us at
our meal, sitting down on their in-turned feet and
telling the company the news from the places they
had visited.

Then the adjutant brought out the outgoing mail
and conveyed to them the Said's Instructions.

"You will take this man to your station/' he said,
"then you'll send him on. The bicMk (permit) will
follow to-morrow. The Said said you must treat
this stranger well/9

In the morning I bade a grateful farewell to my
Mongolian friend, without whose intervention I might
not have been able to continue my journey, and who
had also acted as my interpreter when necessary, for at
that time I knew no Mongolian; then we—the two
urton riders and I—galloped out of the camp.

The first station was in the Djarglantuj Valley,
not far from the outpost, yet by the time we reached it
I was fairly worn out, for .the mount I had been given
was a somewhat bony animal and, having no saddle
of my own, I had had to ride it bareback.

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